NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Whether Pope Francis will visit Philadelphia during a major gathering of the world’s Roman Catholics remained a matter of speculation Friday after the archdiocese said a report he would attend should not be considered confirmation.

The Catholic News Service had published comments that Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput made Thursday in North Dakota, reporting that he announced at a Mass that “Pope Francis has told me that he is coming” to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

The archdiocese, however, cautioned in a statement that Chaput’s comments weren’t “official confirmation” and that church officials would expect that to come about six months prior to the event scheduled for September 2015.

“Archbishop Chaput has frequently shared his confidence in Pope Francis‘ attendance at the World Meeting and his personal conversations with the Holy Father are the foundation for that confidence,” the statement said.

A Vatican spokesman added that although Francis has said “he is willing” to attend, there is “no operating plan or preparations underway” for a visit.

The popular Francis has yet to visit the U.S. as pope, and the question of whether he will attend the Philadelphia gathering has drawn intense speculation. Popes have attended five of the past seven such conferences around the globe, and Pope Benedict had announced his intention to come when the city was announced as the venue for the gathering.

“It was such an honor to spend time with him and to relate to him how important it would be for the people of New York City to have the pope visit,” de Blasio said. “We understand that no one has a more difficult schedule in the world than the pope and nothing definitive was decided in the meeting, but Cardinal Parolin was very open to the request.”